In message , at 14:15:31 on Tue, 10
Sep 2019, MissRiaElaine remarked:

Distribution shouldn't be that
much of a problem, we already have a large fleet of petrol tankers, they
would just need adapting.

The tankers would need replacing, not adapting. Hydrogen needs new
high pressure tanks and all-new piping.

Fair enough. But it's possible.

To replace them, if cost was no object, yes.
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 13:48:11 on
Tue, 10 Sep 2019, Recliner remarked:

Most companies have policies, which even if they aren't "this model,
whatever colour they have in stock this week", can include parameters
such as insisting on 4+ doors (so customers can be taken out to lunch in
relative comfort), specific makes, and a non-negotiable ceiling price.

Those policies applied early in my career, but later, the rules that I
had to follow were much more flexible for senior staff.

Depends on the company. Some expect the senior staff to set an example
to the more junior ones, by adhering to a fairly strict policy.

I even had an Alfa Romeo once

Sometimes it's possible to play the system, so with the constraint once
of "Any Astra this garage has in stock", I got away with a red GTE.

All my company cars were ordered for me, built to my spec.

That wouldn't have worked for my Astra, because I needed it by the end
of the week.
--
Roland Perry

tim... wrote:
surely a 7 year old car's going to have knackered battery

The Leaf has a battery capacity gauge - most of the ones on sale have 11 or
12 bars (out of 12), suggesting the battery is in reasonable condition. A
few at the cheaper end have 10 bars - probably worth paying a little more to
avoid those.

Newer cars have better battery management, so the batteries last longer.
But the early gen cars are still quite usable.

Theo

Roland Perry wrote:
The Peugeot looks interesting, but Insurance Group 28 - is that a
misprint!

That does appear to be the case - the same for the Mitsubishi and Citroen
versions. I'm not sure why - even a Leaf is lower. It's possible insurance
quotes will take other things beyond group into account (eg actual incident
stats).

It's the kind of car which would need recharging every night, like an
early 3G phone. I wonder if the secondhand prices include the charger.

Probably not, but a charger fitted is GBP100-200 on the grant scheme.

Theo

On 10/09/2019 14:26, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 14:15:31 on Tue, 10
Sep 2019, MissRiaElaine remarked:

Distribution shouldn't be that
much of a problem, we already have a large fleet of petrol tankers,
they
would just need adapting.

Â*The tankers would need replacing, not adapting. Hydrogen needs new
high pressure tanks and all-new piping.

Fair enough. But it's possible.

To replace them, if cost was no object, yes.

And how much will it cost to rip up every street in the country to lay
new cables to handle the power required when *everybody* has an electric
car that needs charging..? Not to mention the extra generating plant.
One estimate I saw somewhere said that the UK would require the
equivalent of 20 extra nuclear power stations.

--
Ria in Aberdeen

[Send address is invalid, use sipsoup at gmail dot com to reply direct]

"David Walters" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 9 Sep 2019 22:40:06 +0100, MissRiaElaine
wrote:
On 09/09/2019 14:58, David Walters wrote:

There are lots of people who can't easily have an electric car, they
include my parents who live in a street of Victorian terraces with
narrow pavement. However I think more than half the population could
charge at home.

So what do the other half do..?

Something else. There doesn't need to be one solution for everyone.

but the solution isn't in the hands of individual - I can't just decide to
have a charge point connected to the local street lamppost

HMG has to facilitate it (even if they don't directly provide it)

"MissRiaElaine" wrote in message
...
On 10/09/2019 13:51, David Walters wrote:
On Mon, 9 Sep 2019 22:40:06 +0100, MissRiaElaine
wrote:
On 09/09/2019 14:58, David Walters wrote:

There are lots of people who can't easily have an electric car, they
include my parents who live in a street of Victorian terraces with
narrow pavement. However I think more than half the population could
charge at home.

So what do the other half do..?

Something else. There doesn't need to be one solution for everyone.


So give me an alternative. I've already suggested hydrogen, but that seems
to have been generally pooh-poohed. According to our wonderful (!)
government, battery-electric is the best thing since sliced bread.

That's because they've invented a world where electric car technology
follows the Laffer curve

Which it doesn't

In 5-10 years they will realise that.

tim

"David Walters" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 9 Sep 2019 23:32:27 -0000 (UTC), Recliner
wrote:
BEVs are most commonly used in urban areas, where their lack of emissions
is a clear benefit, and their short range less of a problem. So I wonder
what proportion of inner city homes have private, off-street parking
where
a charger could be installed?

It's certainly lower but then so is car ownership. Apparently 74%
of households in Islington don't have a car and I believe that number
is increasing.

It's obviously better in the suburbs, but I'd still espect a relatively
small number in London.

It's the suburbs where all the car owning households are.

Oh

so I don't see all the resident's spaces outside my window that are
currently empty all filled up at 6pm, then

tim

On 10/09/2019 13:14, tim... wrote:


"Theo" wrote in message
...
Roland Perry wrote:
I'd seriously consider something like an electric Kia Picanto, as long
as it wasn't significantly more expensive than a petrol one. Let's say
£12k.

A used ~2012 Nissan Leaf or Mitsubishi i-MIEV (Citreon C-Zero, Peugeot
Ion)
start at about £5K.

Obviously whether they're suitable for you will depend on your use case.
(in particular the range of 60-100 miles means they're not ideal for long
journeys)

There's also the Renault Zoe in that price bracket, although the battery
leasing makes them less attractive unless you do a lot of miles.

surely a 7 year old car's going to have knackered battery


One of the unknown quantities with electric cars, they've not really
been around long enough to establish a benchmark for battery life.


--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 14:15:31 on Tue, 10 Sep
2019, MissRiaElaine remarked:

Distribution shouldn't be that
much of a problem, we already have a large fleet of petrol tankers,
they
would just need adapting.

The tankers would need replacing, not adapting. Hydrogen needs new
high pressure tanks and all-new piping.

Fair enough. But it's possible.

To replace them, if cost was no object, yes.

Oh come on

Lorries have a relative short lifetime

there won't be an overnight switch of fuel, so the transport vehicles can be
replaced by natural wastage

(FTAOD I'm not making any other positive contribution to this debate by
posting this message)

tim